Latest Laws: Legislation Taking Effect in 2008

This page provides summaries of bills taking effect in 2008 and the date they take effect.

Information on the latest regulations approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) can be found in the rulemaking archives. Regulations under development (which may relate to some of the following statutes) can be found on the rulemaking site.

Statutes of 2007

AB 258 (Krekorian)—Environment: Marine Debris (effective 1/1/08)—This bill requires the California Coastal Commission (CCC), to the extent feasible and within existing resources, to make specified efforts to address the issue of marine debris including the establishment of a multi-agency task force. (Chapter 735)

AB 679 (Benoit)—Illegal Dumping: Assessments (effective 1/1/08)—This bill requires the court to impose a civil assessment equal to the amount of the criminal fine when a party is found guilty of illegal dumping activities. In addition, this bill requires that the assessments be deposited into the appropriate jurisdiction's General Fund to be used for the enforcement of such activities. (Chapter 394)

AB 1023 (DeSaulnier)—Recycling: Compostable and Biodegradable Plastic Trash Bags (effective 1/1/08)—This bill will exempt manufacturers of Compostable and biodegradable trash bags from the requirements of California's recycled-content requirements for plastic trash bags. (Chapter 143)

AB 1048 (Richardson)—Illegal Dumping Enforcement Officers (effective 1/1/08)—This bill corrects an erroneous cross-reference on the illegal dumping enforcement officers authority to enforce provisions of law relating to solid waste disposal and provides that the Attorney General may furnish illegal dumping enforcement officers state summary criminal history information upon the showing of a compelling need. (Chapter 201)

AB 1109 (Huffman)—Energy Resources: Lighting Efficiency: Hazardous Waste (effective 1/1/08)—This bill establishes the California Lighting Efficiency and Toxics Reduction Act (Act) and will prohibit on and after January 1, 2010, a person from manufacturing for sale in the state specified general purpose lights (GPLs) that contain hazardous substances prohibited by the European Union (EU); will require the Energy Commission, on or before December 31, 2008, to adopt minimum energy efficiency standards for all GPLs. This bill also requires DTSC, in coordination with IWMB, to convene a task force to make recommendations to the Legislature on or before September 1, 2008, on the most effective and cost efficient method to provide for the proper collection and recycling of end-of-life light bulbs. (Chapter 534)

AB 1447 (Calderon, Charles)—Hazardous Waste: Major Appliances (effective 1/1/08)—This bill will make changes to hazardous waste control laws relating to the removal of materials that require special handling (e.g., refrigerant, oil, mercury switches) from major appliances. (Chapter 709)

AB 1473 (Feuer)—Solid Waste Facility: Permits: Enforcements (effective 1/1/08)—This bill requires the IWMB to adopt emergency regulations to authorize a Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) to issue a temporary solid waste facilities permit (with IWMB concurrence) to a person operating a recycling, material recovery, and/or composting facility. This bill states that the emergency regulations adopted by the IWMB sunset on July 1, 2010. (Chapter of 547)

SB 898 (Simitian)—Solid Waste: Cleanup (effective 1/1/08)—This bill provides a repeal date of January 1, 2013, for the contribution provisions for the State Children’s Trust Fund for the Prevention of Child Abuse and the Endangered and Rare Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Species Conservation and Enhancement Account. (Chapter 665)

SB 966 (Simitian)—Pharmaceutical Drug Disposal (effective 1/1/08)—This bill will require the IWMB to develop, in consultation with appropriate state, local, and federal agencies, model programs that are free to the consumer for the collection and proper disposal of pharmaceutical drug waste (pharmaceuticals). This bill does not cover controlled substances. The IWMB would, upon evaluation of the model programs, provide the Legislature with recommendations for a statewide program by December 1, 2010. (Chapter 542)

SB 1036 (Perata)—Energy: Renewable Energy Resources (effective 1/1/08)—This bill recasts the Renewable Portfolio Standard Program, a program for the purchasing of renewable energy. (Chapter 685)